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A Century of Lawmaking for a New Nation: U.S. Congressional Documents and Debates, 1774-1875
Journals of the Continental Congress --WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 1785.
Congress assembled. Present, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, South Carolina and Georgia; and from the State of Rhode Island, Mr. [David] Howell; from New Jersey, Mr. [Lambert] Cadwallader; from Virginia, Mr. [William] Grayson, and from North Carolina, Mr. [William] Cumming.
On the report of a committee, consisting of Mr. [William] Grayson, Mr. [James] McHenry and Mr. [David] Howell, to whom was referred a Memorial of William Barton, late a colonel in the Continental Army,
Resolved, That the board of treasury take order for the payment of fifteen hundred dollars to the said William Barton, in consideration of his services to the United States, and the wound he hath received in an Action during the late war.
On motion of Mr. [William] Houstoun, seconded by Mr. [William] Grayson,
Resolved, That the postmaster general be, and he is hereby authorized and directed [instructed, under the direction of the board of treasury] to enter into contracts under good and sufficient security, and penalties with Abraham Ogden, Talmage Hall and Nathaniel Twining for the conveyance of the different mails by the stage carriages, from Portsmouth,
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in the State of New Hampshire, to the town of Savannah, in the State of Georgia by the way of Charleston and from the city of New York, to the city of Albany in the State ofNew York, agreeable to the terms reported according to the accustomed route.1
[Note 1: 1 This motion, in the writing of William Houstoun, except the words in brackets which are in the writing of Elbridge Gerry, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 36, III, folio 127. The words lined out so appear in the motion and not in the Journal. In No. 36, IV, folios 49, 51 and 51st are undated motions in the writing of William Grayson as follows: "Resolved that the Post Master Genl. be authorized and directed to make contracts with the Masters or owners of Stage Coaches on the Post roads through the U. S. for the transportation of the Mail whenever the same can be effected at rate of on terms not exceedingdollars pr. mile annually for three mails a week." And "Resolved, That the Post Master Genl. be authorized and directed to contract with Nathaniel Twining for the transportation of the Mail by Stage from Philad. to Petersburgh and from Petersburgh to Savannah on the terms proposed by the said Twining theday ofand under the conditions stated to him by the sd. Post Master General." An estimate of the expense of mail transportation, on folio 51, seems to have had bearing upon the above proceedings.]
On motion of Mr. [Charles] Pinckney,
Resolved, That, whenever it shall appear to the Secretary of the United States of America for the department of foreign affairs that their safety and or interest require the inspection of any letters then lying in any of the post Offices, he be authorized and empowered to inspect the said letters, and report the same immediately to Congress excepting from the operation of this resolution, [which is to continue for the term of twelve months] all letters franked by or addressed to members of Congress. and the officers of the United States.2
[Note 2: 2 This motion, in the writing of Charles Pinckney, except the part in brackets which is in the writing of Elbridge Gerry, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 25, II, folio 445. The indorsement by Charles Thomson says it was "renewed again 23 Oct., 1786, without limitation of time." This motion was entered, by Thomson, only in the manuscript Secret (Domestic) Journal, No. 3.
On this day, as the indorsement states, was read a memorial of William Calbrath, praying payment for rum taken from him at Fort Schuyler in 1784, and on September 9 referred to the Board of Treasury to report. The memorial is in No. 41, II, folio 209. See post, November 30.
Also on this day, according to indorsement, the drafts proposed by the Secretary for Foreign Affairs, for letters to Marbois, were referred back to said Secretary to take order. See ante, September 2.]
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